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Master of Psychology (Organisational & Human Factors)

Graduate Attributes

University Postgraduate Publications

The School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide offers a Master of Psychology (Organisational and Human Factors) degree, which involves two years of full-time or four years of half-time study.

The program consists of three major components:

1. coursework
2. field placements
3. a research project

In the normal pattern of study, candidates enrolled on a full-time basis will complete ten of the scheduled courses in the first year, together with one placement, and complete the remaining course, together with two more placements, in the second year. The research project will typically be commenced towards the end of the first year, although (full-time) candidates will formally enrol it in the second year. Candidates may wish to consider linking the project to one of the placements in. Candidates enrolled for half-time study may spread these commitments over four years.

Objectives

The key objective of this program is to provide thorough theoretical and practical skills in core areas to meet formal requirements for entry to the profession (as determined by the Australian Psychological Society and its College of Organisational Psychologists).

Prereqiusites

It is available to graduates with an Honours degree in Psychology or an APS-approved equivalent fourth-year. The program has been accredited by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and its College of Organisational Psychologists and has been designed according to their Guidelines. It is also recognised by the South Australian Psychological Board under the Psychological Practices Act, 1973.

Entry into the Program

Entry is competitive and selection is based upon academic merit, referee reports and a structured interview. Application forms will be available on this website in early July. Fluency in English is required for full participation in the learning opportunities of the program.

The program is very demanding and some courses, practical placement, and research requirements may need to be undertaken during periods otherwise regarded as student vacations.

International Students need to apply via the International Office

The Program

The study of Organisational Psychology and Human Factors is concerned with identifying and applying scientific solutions to human problems at work. Our Masters program combines a comprehensive training in management and human resource issues with a critical and problem-solving perspective on the means for optimising the design of work systems. These two foci are integrated in a way that highlights the important relationship between micro and macro solutions to performance problems in the work setting. Thus knowledge of Perceptual and Cognitive Psychology, and Decision Making in Applied Situations provides insights at the individual level into fundamental processes underlying work behaviours. These units, together with the study of the principles of Human Factors or Environmental Psychology, provide guidance into the means of optimising the design of the workplace and the work system in order to maximise individual outputs. Developments in managerial methods for enhancing personnel selection, work performance, job satisfaction and health and safety are examined in Organisational Behaviour and Management, Individual and Organisational Change and Development, Psychological Assessment: Recruitment and Personnel Appraisal, and Human Resource Management. In all of these units, the key focus is on using approaches that enhance the fit between the person and the organisation. In addition, the study of Consumer Behaviour provides the opportunity to examine the manner in which organisations can relate to and influence the behaviour of others outside the confines of the workplace. The entire course is governed by a problem-solving perspective, which is shaped by the scientist-practitioner model. Skills relevant to analysis are developed in the units Applied Research Methodology and Professional and Ethical Practice. This knowledge is then applied in Placements I, II and III, and in the unit entitled Research Project in Organisational Psychology and Human Factors

The framework for this Program has strong educational and occupational contexts. The occupational context is the strong and increasing demand from organisations in both private and public sectors for the analytical consultancy and research skills that the Program aims to teach. Specifically, the study of Organisational Psychology and Human Factors is concerned with identifying and applying scientific solutions to human problems at work and in other places, so as to optimise human resources and enhance organisational effectiveness and employee well being. Organisational Psychologists are employed in a wide variety of recruitment, managerial, consultant, human resource, systems development and research occupations. The overall objective is to produce congruence between worker and organisational demands. The combination of organisational psychology and human factors is a distinctive feature of this course.